MB Kicking Ass and Taking Names!

Telemundo came today...MB made sure to remind them that she's sad because her insurance company has abandoned her in her greatest time of need!

Today, for reasons that I can't disclose just yet, I was not able to make it to MBs doctors appointment. In a way its good that I missed it because I would have definitely ripped the doctor a new one. I made sure MB had plenty of back up, I sent Yazzy Fresh and my cousin Rosa and they did just great without me.

Yazzy said that as soon as the doctor walked in and saw that I wasn't there she breathed a huge sigh of relief. The doctor brought a social worker to the appointment for so called "support", we've never had a social worker at our appointment, she was there to back up the doctor and be a witness to my craziness in case I got out of hand, HA, jokes on them I didn't go. I love surprises and by this time Kaiser should know they aren't playing with an ameteur!

From what Yazzy Fresh and Rosa reported back MB held her own and then some. Yaz said MB walked in and all the nurses and techs were running to catch a glimpse of their little celebrity. I'm sure when they saw her cute little butt they were probably wondering why Kaiser was so scared of her.

When it was time for her to go over the Pet Scan MB surprised her by saying," I already know about the tumor on my leg". The doctor was in shock and Yaz says she very obviously fell off script. The doctor stuttered and asked MB how she knew of the results. MB haughtily replied, "My daughter picked up my Pet Scan results Monday and read them to me, those are my results and I'm the patient and I can get them whenever I WANT!" Score MB! After hearing MB's response the doctor very humbly read the pet scan, had nothing new to offer and pissed MB off more when she told her she could get her a second opinion at Stanford. At this point MB was like, "What! when I wanted to go to Stanford a YEAR ago for a second opinion you guys refused to refer me! " My cousin was in a state of pure shock, she was with us in February when we were fighting for that Stanford referral. Now it's too little to late. MB wants Dr. B and she's gonna get Dr. B!

The funniest part of the appointment was when the doctor offered to examine MB, MB was like, "why? you just gonna poke me, do nothing and send me home with more pain pills???.No thank you!" and then she stormed off. I hate that I missed this but am so proud of her for standing up for herself.When MB came home she's like, "what they think I'm dumb! they think i'm just some little mouse they can play with? hell no!" Damn I Love this woman, I love her fire, her energy, her strength and Kaiser, Cancer or nothing else will ever take that away from her, EVER!

 I honestly feel that as soon as they deemed MB terminal they wrote her off and stopped wanting to spend money on her. At this point I'm sure they are all thinking, "Why isn't she dead yet?! why is her crazy daughter protesting!? and why am I working on my winter break because of these crazy latinas!"

Answer, cause we are some BAD ASS BITCHES!....I thought you knew!

When she cries at night and she doesn't think that I can hear her...

Soulmates!

MB is a strong woman, but at times, she too, has her moments. This last week has been tough. Everytime I look at her, I see that "look", its her "maybe I should just give up" look. She goes through so much pain and discomfort a day that I don't blame her for having these moments. When I see her like this I just ask if she wants to talk about it and right away she cries. Even though it tears me up to see her cry I'm thankful that she trusts me enough to let go and express her feelings. Today, I walked in her room and she just asked, "why? what did I do to deserve this?!, she wanted to know why she couldn't just die fast?, why all the suffering?!, why?!?!?!?!?!?". I could not answer her question. It pains me to see MB suffer, it pains me even more to know that, had the proper tests been done in February of 2009 MB wouldn't be suffering like this. My heart hurts for her everyday.

And the media came to us................

MB has been doing interviews all week!

Two weeks ago MB begged and pleaded with her doctor to prescribe medications that were costing 1,700 dollars a week to pay for out of pocket. Her doctor very coldly told her NO and sent her on her way. Before I left the room I made it clear that we wouldn't call the media, I let her know that our protest would be so huge, the media would call us. Less than a week later I kept my word. NBC was the first to cover our story.

Someone who saw the very first protest was so moved that they left a 10,000 dollar anonymous cashiers check at the door. After Fox did the story CBS, NBC and Univision called wanting an interview with MB. After Univision called Kaiser asking for a statement Kaiser knew we weren't playing. This morning the Vice President at Kaiser, Irene Chavez called and set up an interview. It only took three protests and four networks hounding them for them to take us seriously.

Watching MB do interviews is awe inspiring, even though she's tired and has cold sores from the therapy she still manages to muster up the energy to talk to the media. Yesterday she wasn't feeling very well but she still sat down and talked to NBC. When MB walks into the room everyone is at attention, she has the presence of a star and everyone hushes to listen to what she has to say. There is this energy of peace that follows her.When she's done doing the interviews they take off her microphone and she very quietly and stoicly walks away. As I watch her leave the room, i'm sure everyone's thinking, "Elvis has left the building". She's that powerful.

As my family sat and talked about everything that was going on, we thought about how  many sick people who DON'T have MB's support system and advocates just go home and die when places like Kaiser deny them care. We thought of the hundreds of sick people with no voice. We reflected on how lucky we are to have eachother and Love eachother so much.

Tonight, Bob Marley's "One Love" played as I stood surrounded by friends, family and strangers on the corner of Cottle and Santa Teresa protesting. I was not only standing in the cold for MB, I was standing there for everyone who is too sick to stand up for themselves. I stand for Kaiser's future patients. I stand so that no one has to go through the pain and suffering that MB has gone through, because at the end of the day what hurts one of us hurts all of us! If we let Kaiser get away with all the negligence and lack of care now they will do it again to someone else. MB quietly said to herself, maybe this is happening for a reason, maybe this is our reason for being, God must think we are some bad ass bitches to give us this task!

A psychic once told MB not to worry about me because I was going to make history, this was about 10 years ago. I cried when MB told me this, because I have always felt deep down that I was put on this planet to do something. Maybe, this is it, maybe this is just the beginning.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vdB-8eLEW8g

Bay Area/ National News coverage of our story

They came to us!

Al Rojo Vivo
http://msnlatino.telemundo.com/videos/al_rojo_vivo/recibe_cheque_annimo_de_regalo/2cee08d8-bc32-4066-8496-5e624f89b049?kerem=1079

MSNBC Rachel Maddow
http://video.msnbc.msn.com/the-rachel-maddow-show/45745754#null

NBC
http://www.ksdk.com/video/1337681067001/1/Cancer-patient-Maria-Vargas-finds-10000

FOX
http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/san-jose-anonymous-10000-gift-brings-hope-for/vFWNP/

Univision

http://univision14.univision.com/videos/video/2011-12-16/mujer-con-cancer-recibe-regalo
All this news coverage makes me feel like MB and I are part of a bigger plan. It's time for healthcare injustices to end. Its time for the world to open their eyes and ears and act to change things!

Kaiser Leaks

Kaiser employees are leaking letters sent by Kaiser regarding the protest. If I share the letter I was sent I could face legal repurcussions and or get someone in trouble. I won't share the letter but I will say Kaiser was fair in their message. I will continue to monitor Kaiser letters and make sure they continue to be fair.

Oh Papa Bear aka Grumpy

He even looks like Robert Deniro!

If you've ever seen "Everybody's Fine" with Robert De Niro then you've met my Papa Bear. De Niro's character in that movie IS PB. PB has a huge heart and loves us sooo much that sometimes he doesn't know what to do with all his feelings.

On the days that MB is'nt feeling so well PB flips out, he literally has a system overload! Saturday was his Birthday and we went to see his cousins son who had just been shot. After that we went to straighten out some legal issues with one of our properties,not the best birthday for poor PB. When we were finally done taking care of business, we met up with family in Modesto and PB began to unwind by drinking and laughing with a long lost relative.

On the ride home PB was chocolate chip wasted! The ride was emotional. Baby Bear drove, I sat in the passenger seat and PB sat right behind me. We listened to 80's music and at one point PB grabbed my head with his strong callused hands and leaned his forehead against the back of my head and just sobbed. He asked me if I remembered all the roadtrips that we used to take with MB. I am eight years older than my siblings and PB, MB and I have a lot of memories driving to LA,San Diego and Mexico before my lil bro and sis ever came along. We were the three amigos always off on a new adventure. I take after PB, he has always been an adventurer always challenged me to try new things and go to new places. I told him I did remember and that when MB was all better we'd take another roadtrip. We have to have faith and keep hope alive.

When we finally arrived home, I sat with PB as he spoke of his soulmate. He calls Mama Bear "Mariquita" and loves talking about what a nice body she had and how beautiful she was. He told me that when he'd walk in a room with her all eyes were on them and he always felt like the luckiest guy on the planet to have such a beautiful woman with such a strong constitution at his side. He has always admired MB's calm strength and charisma and I don't think he knows how to live without her. Sometimes I don't know who suffers more, the patient or the people that love them?

Just when you'd written me off as the party girl with the big boobs, I go ahead and organize a protest and inadvertantly become "The Avocado Story"

Angel's keep leaving presents on our doorstep!

Thats me, about two months ago in the black dress on the right, this is when I was attending a bachelorette party every weekend, so much has changed since then........

The last couple of days have been surreal to say the least. Ever since an Angel or Angels left a 10,000 dollar cashiers check at the door we have been bombarded by requests for interviews. Yazzy and I organizing a protest from scratch wasn't enough, someone had to leave a ton of cash on our doorstep for the media to take notice. I'm always in awe of what makes people tick.

In a way, I'm glad that MB's cause is getting some attention. It's not fair that an HMO like Kaiser can deny her the treatment that she wants. I don't know why but maybe God chose our family for a reason. Maybe our story is meant to be heard so that people can see the goodness that still exists in the world. Maybe our story can inspire others.

This morning my cousin came to the house with a hundred dollar donation and ready to protest. I broke the news that we weren't protesting today. I can't protest everyday, someone still has to care from MB, she is a cancer patient after all. I won't neglect my Mother to stand on the street with a sign and have people flip me off and yell at me all day. I will only protest on days and times that MB doesn't need me, like this Friday!

When my cousin gave me her hundred dollars she said that she was going to take her daughter christmas shopping with the money but that she thought about it and decided MB needed the money more than her daughter needed the toys. My jaw hit the floor! Most people are willing to help you out as long as it doesn't inconvenience them or their plans. Very rarely, do you find someone who is willing to forgoe a shopping spree with their child so that their loved one can pay for their medication, especially during the holidays.

About 20 of my friends and family stood in the cold for hours yesterday with signs. Some drove over two hours to be with us. Again, jaw on floor. I thank everyone who physically shows up to show their support. I'm not going to lie, the people who tell me their with us in "spirit" kind of annoy me. If you really support our cause don't leave us alone to whether the cold. Show up, hold a sign and be about it, even if only for an hour. I'm not trying to offend anyone, i'm just trying to inspire you to stand up for what you believe in, stop letting everyone do all the work for you. A guy I used to date made a great point, he said he'd rather stand and protest with us then go home and just watch TV. Don't  get me wrong, I understand those who have families and commitments but if you know your just home watching TV then you should maybe think about your priorities in life.

Last Night,my lil sis' best friend and Boyfriend left a Christmas tree at the door. At this point my jaw is just mopping the floor all day. Our situation has brought out so much good, I can't even believe it. We all have a choice in the way we will live our lives, we can choose to work hard and accumulate the most wealth and show off or we can share the most Love and make the world a better place. Before MB got sick I wanted to be rich and famous, now I just want to pay it forward. This Christmas we will have a tree but my siblings and I have forgone presents. I'm thinking we will stuff our stallking with notes of Love instead. This year, we will tell eachother how much we Love and mean to eachother and be thankful that we are all still together. Priceless!

check out our press coverage:
http://www.ktvu.com/videos/news/san-jose-anonymous-10000-gift-brings-hope-for/vFWNP/